Contact Us
Khanjan Mehta
Program Director
213U Hammond Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-4426
khanjan@engr.psu.edu
HESE Certificate Program
Purpose
The certificate is intended to acknowledge students who have gained proficiency in design, research and application of appropriate technologies for use in addressing needs of communities in the U.S. and abroad. It stresses an awareness of the cultural context of such engineering activities and entrepreneurial application of design solutions. Collaborations with communities are strongly encouraged along with emphasis on the importance of ethical considerations in collaborating/working in community settings. This certificate is designed as a pathway to the intercollege Minor in Civic and Community Engagement for engineering students.
The certificate addresses the following:
a. The role of the engineer in engaging the community using academic and professional skills
b. Cultural issues related to the engineering projects in communities
c. Application of knowledge and acquisition of experience in engineering design and research appropriate for serving communities
d. Entrepreneurial business basics and business development efforts and leadership of projects in the host community
e. Immersive experiences in the partnering community
Collaborations with host universities (when applicable) and local communities are integral components of the program along with travel to the host community.
Requirements
The Certificate will be awarded to any undergraduate student who, in addition to satisfying the degree requirements of his or her baccalaureate major, satisfies the requirements for the Certificate. It may be possible to have the required certificate courses �double count'; that is, satisfying both the requirements of the major as well as the certificate program. This may be explored through a petitioning process of the student's adviser.
The completion of the certificate is reflected by a formal notation on the student's official record at the time of graduation. The requirements of the certificate are as follows:
1. Community Engagement (3 Cr)
2. U.S./International Cultures (3 Cr)
3. Engineering Design (3 Cr)
4. Travel (3 Cr) (If travel is not possible, an elective may be substituted)
5. ePortfolio (1 Cr)
Collaboration with host universities (when applicable) and local communities are integral components of the program along with travel to the host community. The key requirement of the program is for the student to engage in a real-life engineering design project with a focus on engaging a community and providing that community a service.
It is possible to expand the certificate program to satisfy the requirements for a Minor in Civic and Community Engagement (18 credits required) by increasing the Community Engagement component to 6 credits and the U.S./International Cultures component to 6 credits.
Application Process
To enter the program, a student must submit an application to the Certificate Committee. Applicants for the certificate:
- Must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.
- Must identify a certificate advisor who should be a member of the Penn State Faculty. A student's certificate faculty advisor may also be his or her major advisor, but this is not required. Students are encouraged to select any faculty member who they feel can assist them in clarifying their career goals in relation to the certificate and in developing a proposed plan of study.
- Must include a proposed plan of study with their application (see below). Certificate proposals must be approved by the student's certificate faculty advisor and the Certificate program director.
- May apply all 12 credits toward the certificate that also count toward their major. Past fieldwork experiences and completed courses may be retroactively included in the plan of study, but must be approved by the certificate program director.
- May, after consultation with the certificate program director, plan a course of study which would satisfy all 18 credits of the Civic and Community Engagement minor. The additional 6 credits would be possible by scheduling additional Community Engagement (3 Cr) and U.S./International Cultures (3 Cr) credits.
-A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the certificate.
Community Engagement (3 Cr)
The range of courses which would satisfy this requirement are quite broad, and not meant to be restrictive. Below are listed a few that are highly recommended, but are only recommendations. Feel free to discuss options with the program director.
CED 152 Community Development Concepts and Practice (3) Concepts and practice of community development.Prerequisite: R SOC 011 or SOC 001; ECON 004
CED 230 Development Issues in the Global Context (3) Exploration of issues related to economic development in national and international contexts, where key interrelationships between and among developed and developing regions are made explicit. (Does not satisfy any Gen. Educ. requirements).
Prerequisite: ECON 002, ECON 004, R SOC 011 or SOC 001
CED 417 (R SOC 417) Power, Conflict, and Community Decision Making (3) Impact of institutions on human interdependence and behavior, the structure of power, and community decision making and public policy.
Prerequisite: R SOC 011 or SOC 001
CED 420 (US;IL) (R SOC 420, WMNST 420) Women in Developing Countries (3) Analysis of women's work, experiences, and development policies and practices in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Prerequisite: 5th semester standing or above
CED 425 International Community and Economic Development (3) International community and economic development.
Prerequisite: CED 152
HD FS 287W (GS;US) Intercultural Community-Building (3) An experiential introduction to negotiating differences in small groups, families, institutions, and communities.
HD FS 411 The Helping Relationship (3) Theory and research related to interpersonal conditions which facilitate personal growth; intensive interpersonal competency training.
Prerequisite: HD FS 311; HD FS 312W; or 6 credits in Human Development and Family Studies or psychology
SOC 109 Sociological Perspectives (3) Intensive and critical analysis of the bases of the social order, change, values, knowledge, and conflict.
SOC 119 (GS;US) Race and Ethnic Relations (4) Historical patterns and current status of racial and ethnic groups; inequality, competition, and conflict; social movements; government policy.
SOC 404 Social Influence and Small Groups (3) The study of social influence, leadership and status, and social cohesion and commitment processes in small groups.
Effective: Spring 2007
Prerequisite: SOC 003 or PSYCH 420
SOC 425 Social Conflict (3) An analysis of the variables affecting intergroup and international conflict and cooperation.
Prerequisite: general behavioral science general psychology or general sociology
S T S 100 (GH) The Ascent of Humanity (3) A survey of some of the intellectual achievements that highlight humanity's attempts to understand nature and shape the environment.
S T S 107 (GH) (PHIL 107) Introduction to Philosophy of Technology (3) The character of technology; its relation to human values; philosophical assumptions in its development; and how it transforms the world.
S T S 130H World Food Problems (1-3) Critical examination of data sources, issues, and perspectives concerning contributions of science, technology, and society in resolving world food problems.
S T S 235 (GH) Science and Religion (3) This course investigates the relationship between science and religion in multiple cultures.
Prerequisite: completion of a basic composition course or the equivalent S T S 100 or S T S 101 or completion of 30 credits of coursework
S T S 245 (GS;IL) Globalization, Technology, and Ethics (3) An investigation of technology and ethics in the globalized world from contemporary, socio-cultural, and historical perspectives.
S T S 430 (IL) (NUTR 430) Global Food Strategies: Problems and Prospects for Reducing World Hunger (3) Technological, social, and political solutions to providing basic food needs; food resources, population, and the environment; current issues.
S T S 433 (PHIL 433) Ethics in Science and Engineering (3) Ethical issues arising in the practice of science and engineering and their philosophical analysis.
S T S 460 (PL SC 460) Science, Technology, and Public Policy (3) The all-pervasive importance of science and technology policy in modern societies and mechanisms and processes by which it is made.
Prerequisite: three credits in Natural Sciences or Engineering three credits in Social and Behavioral Sciences
U.S/International Cultures (3 Cr)
All Penn State students must complete 3 credits in US and 3 credits in IL. If a student takes a 3-credit course that is both US and IL, he/she must take another 3-credit course that is US, IL, or both US and IL to complete the requirement. A list of U.S., IL, and U.S/IL courses is on the Web. Click here for examples. (see course examples below)
It is strongly recommended that students schedule a course pertinent to the region of the world, or appropriate topical area, that they will engaging in.
Engineering Design (3 Cr)
A project-based design course which involves collaboration with community partners is required. A number of different programs offer project opportunities which may satisfy this requirement. These project-based options include:
1. EDSGN 452
2. American Indian Housing Initiative (AIHI)
3. Alliance for Earth Science and Engineering in the Development of Africa (AESEDA)
4. Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
5. Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)
A critical component of this design requirement is the inclusion of the one-credit, multi-disciplinary course EDSGN 497C (Design for Developing Communities). This course covers the basics of humanitarian design, user-centered design for extreme affordability, social entrepreneurship, systems thinking, details of travel and fieldwork, and related issues for technology-based social ventures in developing communities. EDSGN 497C must be scheduled concurrently with any of the design courses listed above. Students enrolled in any discipline are welcomed to enroll in these courses as such interdisciplinary interactions are essential for project success.
Travel (3 Cr)
Travel to the partnering community and implementation of the design solution is an invaluable experience for students. Travel may be undertaken on projects lasting from a few weeks to a month. EDSGN 399 is offered for students in order to satisfy this requirement. Program requirements differ per project. See the program director for details.
ePortfolio (1 Cr)
An electronic portfolio, also known as an eportfolio, is a collection of inputted text, electronic files, images, multimedia, blog entries, and hyperlinks that are assembled and managed by a user on the web. E-portfolios are both demonstrations of the user's abilities and platforms for self-expression which can be maintained dynamically over time. Some e-portfolio applications permit varying degrees of audience access, so the same portfolio might be used for multiple purposes.
The eportfolio may be used to:
1. Showcase achievements for potential employers
2. Collect and reflect on student work
3. Share a student's educational and work experience
4. Create dynamic resumes
5. Create a plan of study and work
To begin construction, please log on to: www.eportfolio.psu.edu